Most Physically Demanding Sport

We often debate about “which is the most physically demanding sport” with people and give different answers based on our own experiences or opinions. In 2004, ESPN (Entertainment and Sports Programming Network) conducted a study to answer this question once and for all. They brought together a panel of experts to rank the top 10 most demanding sports based on endurance, power, strength, flexibility, agility, durability, hand-eye coordination, agility, nerve and analytic aptitude. Below we look at the 10 most intense sports according to the study.

Most Physically Demanding Sport

1

Wrestling

Also known as mixed martial arts or simply MMA, wrestling is a sport characterized by a variety of grappling and standing techniques. Consequently, fighters come equipped with a variety of wrestling and fighting backgrounds. Each round lasts for 5 minutes where fighters are supposed to maintain an unparalleled level of mental and physical alertness to avoid getting knocked out by the opponent. The sport requires speed, quickness, durability, and incredible displays of full-body strength. This is the most physically demanding sport in existence.

2

Football

Football
(American) is played by the strongest, fastest and largest athletes in
the world. While each play only lasts for 4 seconds, the athletes are
required to play with bouts of high intensity that require incredible
durability and athleticism. Players have to be able to withstand the
rigors and hard hits of the game.

3

Rugby

Just
like football, rugby requires speed, power, agility and conditioning.
The unique thing about rugby is the constant physical tension that comes
about during the prolonged group and individual battles. The size of
the players in the game makes the physical demands even more intense.

4

Soccer

This
is the world’s most popular sport. Soccer players are usually very fast
since they are required to reach top speeds and stop instantaneously to
change direction. The intense physical battles for the ball, the
sprinting efforts and constant movement make it the 4th most demanding sport. The fact that the fields are as large as 21,000 square feet doesn’t make matters any easier.

5

Ice Hockey

While
ice hockey is largely unrecognized in most parts of the world, it is
quite a popular sport in the United States. This is largely due to the
steep cost associated with playing the game. If you have set foot on the
ice, you will know the incredible physical demands the game
makes on the players. The game involves 45 second high intensity shifts
characterized by quick starts, stops, hard hits, direction changes and
fighting for loose pucks. This is one of the most physically demanding
sport.

6

​Basketball

This game involves a lot of high intensity quick bursts of movement, speed, vertical jumping power and agility. While basketball is played at intervals, it also includes a component of constant motion since it transitions from one end of the court to the other in quick succession. The game is also physically taxing since the players battle for possession.

7

​Rowing

While it may not be
apparent to the casual observer, rowing is a very physically demanding
sport. It requires a combination of raw power and refined technique to
get the boat moving. Athletes require incredible upper back and core
strength combined with impressive levels of endurance to maintain a fast
pace throughout the race. The sport is both mentally and physically
challenging especially as the fatigue levels accumulate.

8

Tennis

Tennis
is a sport that involves short duration bursts of energy in the form of
transitional movements, quick sprints and hitting the ball. These
movements demand a great deal of speed, strength, control and power.
Since tennis is played at intervals, the athlete is required to operate
at a higher intensity than in a continuous sport. What's more, tennis is played under the scorching sun.

9

Lacrosse

Lacrosse
is very similar to soccer. It features displays of agility, speed,
coordination and conditioning by the players. The players are required
to fend off painful whacks of the sticks of the opponents and fight for
loose balls on the ground. They’re also required to have their heads on a
swivel constantly to avoid getting knocked out. This is the 9th most physically demanding sport.

10

Swimming

Swimming
is a very exhausting sport. The continuous nature of this sport does
not leave much recovery time. The upper body and lower body are in
constant motion in a bid to stabilize the trunk and to navigate through
the water. The swimmer hardly gets a chance to rest. The only reason
swimming does not rank higher is because it is not ground-based. This makes
it less stressful to the swimmer’s musculoskeletal system.